Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Dec 31, 2022 0:03:10 GMT
Karka watched the York captain warily, particularly the odd contraption he held in his hands that was apparently a phaser rifle. The earlier Mayan's weapon had burnt itself out with one shot so hopefully Orlov's would do the same, though it was presumably much more powerful than both the Mayan's rifle and the early prototypes made for VrLatn.
"I'm not bluffing, engineer," Orlov replied and rotated the weapon in his grip slightly to point it squarely at Unwin. "You're surprised I heard you, but then weapons, irrigation and medicine tech aren't the only things I've managed to make on this planet," and he indicated his right ear which had built into it some metallic object, then gestured to his right eye which, Karka realised, had some sort of unobtrusive ocular implant.
"Sensorial enhancement," Orlov smiled, "I can see and hear better, sometimes even think faster than you, so don't try anything. Surrender the shuttle. VrLatn wishes to see what lies beyond the heavens and who am I to deny my River Ruler?"
Karka bowed his head, saddened at what had become of Orlov. Why the man would leave everything he'd known for this forsaken planet, Karka didn't know. Presumably he had friends and family in the Federation, or colleagues if nothing else. But he'd turned his back on all that to become the subject of an usurper, just another inhabitant of a benighted premodern world.
The Hybrudean retreated a few steps into the shuttle from where he'd joined Schirra as he'd opened the hatch. Of course, Orlov didn't know of Karka's own ability - that of consciousness acceleration. It effectively allowed him to think much faster than typical humanoids, experiencing the world at a vastly augmented rate of perception for about a minute. He primed his partitioned mind for acceleration, in case the York CO tried to get the jump on them...
"Give us a moment to think about it?," Schirra suggested reasonably and after a brief pause Orlov, phaser rifle still raised to his shoulder, nodded minutely. In the meantime several Mayans had approached and arrayed themselves alongside him.
Unwin spoke from where he was propped against the starboard bulkhead, cradling the arrow wound to his shin, "Scamacci can initiate a brief instant of hover thrust, say 50% power. It'd probably give enough propulsive force to knock Orlov and company off their feet, maybe blast them from the rooftop, without too much sudden exhaust heat. They wouldn't get burnt, though I can't guarantee they won't get injured, perhaps even fatally from any fall."
Schirra decided in favour of the idea but as soon as Scamacci had begun to program the helm Orlov and co were marching towards them into the shuttle. Owing to his enhancement tech presumably, the York CO had heard.
"Now, Ensign!" Karka blurted at Scamacci as Orlov took aim with his rifle and the Mayans made to lob their spears. The York captain must be mad, trying to fire his overpowered weapon in these close quarters. Weston loped forward and feinted, striking Orlov lightly on the chin with his right and then wrenching the phaser rifle from the captain's grasp with his left, casting it away out the still-open hatch as the hover engines had the Belize take flight.
With the hover thrust being cut back, the shuttlecraft began to sink until Scamacci put in a quarter forward impulse and the Belize started to climb through the atmosphere. The deck tilted to some 20 degrees and the white buildings, quasi-jungle and river began to recede out the open aft hatch as the Belize gained altitude. Psonoir held on to a support strut of the tertiary console as all but one of Orlov's Mayans - those who hadn't already been caught by the hover exhaust, blown away and unable to board the shuttle - were sent cartwheeling out the aft hatch with the sudden lurching movement of the shuttle.
The Belize started to pick up speed, the wind howling as atmosphere was blasted through the shuttle at an ever-increasing rate. Orlov was scrapping amongst the seats, fighting with T'Seng, while the one remaining Mayan kept trying to get a grip on Karka's foot and pull him down past him out to the quasi-jungle far below.
Eventually Scamacci was able to level off slightly though the deck was still tilted at a perilously sharp angle.
"Close the hatch, Ensign!" Karka shouted, not sure he was heard over the rushing air as he kicked at the face of the frothing riverfolk Mayan. Though the turbulence continued, already the sky was beginning to fade to black as the Belize scythed high into the stratosphere.
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Jan 11, 2023 1:40:12 GMT
The situation Schirra and the others believed they were in control of had gone proverbially South in a hurry ..... One moment they were about to leave, the next they were involved in a full-blown fight aboard the careening shuttle ..... Daniel turned in time for the spear thrown by the remaining Mayan to slam into his right shoulder before protruding out of his back. the impact, combined with the lurching shuttlecraft, threw him heavily against the bulkhead and for several minutes he lost consciousness. He was brought around gasping for breath and realised that the shuttle, far from holding station above the Mayan soil, was rapidly climbing with one of the hatches still open! Clenching his teeth against the self-inflicted pain he was about to suffer, he shouted over to Scamacci who had managed to seal the hatch and was returning to the Pilots seat: "ENSIGN!""Captain!" the Pilot said as Daniel braced the tip of the spear against the bulkhead. "Grab this damn thing," "Sir..." Scamacci said worriedly as he saw the blood flowing down the front of Schirra's tunic, "... I don't think you should try to remove the spear, you could lose too much blood in the process, Sir," Daniel was about to argue when Orlov, knocked unconscious after a torrent of blows from T'Seng, fell at his feet. Despite protestations, Koni and Karka repositioned him wrapping swathes of cloth torn from their jackets around the entry and exit wounds. With the blood loss stemmed, Koni grabbed the Medkit and removed the first makeshift bandage using a hypospray to increase clotting, seconds later the blood flow had ceased and she repeated the process at the back as Orlov, was secured towards the Aft of the shuttle. Scamacci, now free to return to his task levelled the shuttle almost twenty thousand metres above the forest and tried to contact the Excalibur. He was arranging their return when Daniel told him to hold off: "We can't leave without finding out exactly what Orlov has supplied, or was about to supply to the Mayans," "You can't go back down there, Captain, you need urgent treatment!" Koni said as Karka eyed the shaft front and back. He was fairly confident that the spear hadn't hit anything vital, nor had it severed any major artery, so removing it 'should' be relatively straightforward. Daniel was still in pain and perched uncomfortably in a half seated half crouched position. Koni grabbed a phaser and adjusted the setting: "Hold still, Captain," she said, asking Karka to take hold of the shaft protruding from his chest. After a second's pause, she lanced through the shaft approximately five centimetres from the wound. Sighing in relief she asked for Schirra to be pulled forward, Psonoir again took a firm hold, this time at the back and the procedure was repeated before she helped Daniel to one of the bunks where he could rest on his side. "Up or down?" Scamacci asked. "Up!" Karka instructed, ignoring the semi-conscious objection from the bunk ..... ~~~~~~~~~~ "How is he?" Koni asked as Doctor Wundt moved away from the biobed containing the sedated Schirra. "He'll be fine, a bit sore, but given the injury, he's been very lucky," "Good," "If you hadn't acted quickly I doubt he would have reached the ship alive," Wundt said walking away. Koni waited while Head Nurse Ellie Sim transferred the Captain to a static bed and then approached. For a second she took his hand before lowering it back to his side. They had come so close to losing Schirra, the ramifications of the spear impacting a couple of centimetres on either side didn't bare thinking about. The next morning she returned to Sickbay to see Schirra already sitting up apparently complaining about 'hospital food' ..... "Don't eat it, no skin off my nose..." Wundt was saying as she walked away, "... Wouldn't hurt for you to lose a few kilos anyway," she said as a parting shot before returning to her office. "Where's Orlov?" Daniel asked as she entered his room. "Good morning..." Koni replied smiling in relief he was seemingly alright, "... He's next door under heavy sedation, Caryna has posted Security to keep an eye on him, just in case," "I want him questioned," "Commander Psonoir has already arranged to 'have a word' with the Captain," Koni replied. "Are we still in orbit?" "Of course," T'Seng replied. "When's that bloody woman going to release me?" Daniel said, frustration getting the better of him, making him wince in pain as he moved his arm without thinking. Koni accessed the medical report on the screen behind his head and began to read: "Apparently, the spear impacted the clavicular portion of your pectoralis major muscle, exiting via the infraspinatus muscle. You've suffered tendon damage and acute blood loss. It's something of a miracle that the thing didn't hit anything vital on its way through. While muscle reconstruction wasn't necessary, you 'will' need treatment for the scars, along with intensive physiotherapy to help you regain fu ......" "Thank you ... DOCTOR!" Daniel said. Snorting in mock annoyance Koni turned off the screen. "We're running scans during each orbit, we're still having trouble but we've found several sites that appear to be difficult to distinguish," "Shielded?" Daniel asked. "Hard to tell, and Commander Psonoir doesn't want to take the Excalibur any lower at the moment, just in case," she said, deftly stepping aside as Doctor Wundt supernaturally appeared to snatch the uneaten breakfast tray off Schirra's knee: "Any chance we can continue treating the Captain, Commander, or do you have more small talk to get through...?" she asked, eyes locked on T'Sengs, "... Good, then I will be sure to inform you or Commander Psonoir should his condition change," the woman said, turning away the conversation clearly over. While Koni hadn't actually been dismissed, she had the distinct feeling it was only a short intake of breath away, so with a nod to daniel, informing him that Karka would be along shortly, she made a hasty retreat from sickbay and returned to her quarters to ready for her next Duty Shift. Confined to Sickbay, Daniel wondered vaguely if the Doctor practised her gruff manner, or if it came naturally ..........
|
|
Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Jan 14, 2023 20:49:37 GMT
After the shuttlecraft's docking Schirra had been moved to sickbay, followed by Orlov about half an hour later after the York captain had been awakened briefly to be asked some basic questions by a security medic, before being knocked unconscious again as it seemed he was about to get violent.
Finding it surreal to be back aboard the ship, Karka found his mental bearings and headed for the bridge. He'd thought along with the others that he may well never be rescued, let alone the Excalibur taking a few years to find them in this star system, wherever it was.
He sat in the centre seat and noticed from glancing above the viewscreen that it was just before 1000 hours ship-time. It would take Schirra some time to recover, though presumably he'd be back on duty by the end of the day or perhaps tomorrow.
He was given a status report every half hour as the Excal orbited the unknown planet, charting its surface and taking other detailed scans. In a part of the equatorial band - dominated by one large continent - the sensors returned fuzzy readings, something blocking high resolution scans of everything the crew might want to know about that part of the surface. Whether it was natural or artificial wasn't altogether clear.
The Constitution class was put in a lower elliptical orbit, passing much closer over the fuzzy region once every seven revolutions - taking into account the rotation of the planet. It didn't help sensor resolution any, but at least now the bridge officers had a much better visual fix, the viewscreen's external image of the surface showing the local part of the equatorial band... Nothing seemed to set it apart from surrounding areas, no sign of anything artificial; no built-up area or shield generator or anything of the sort. Of course it would've been extraordinary to find such things. The crew couldn't discount them while still being without an explanation for what was causing the sensor trouble.
"It could well be a natural phenomenon. Still without firm evidence either way, but the presence of these elements," Wentworth gestured to her console that showed results from atmospheric scans above the fuzzy region, "might suggest the lack of surface data is due to the same thing that blocked transporters and comms."
"I'll leave it with you, Commander," he said and headed down to sickbay. Entering he found Schirra in a half-conscious state with Dr Wundt running tests, and in a separate and shielded part of the room Orlov under sedation with a nurse working near him, looking at neurological scans, in case they could offer some explanation for Orlov's erratic behaviour. An armed security guard - his Mk II phaser holstered - appointed by Psonoir stood away at some distance as per Wundt's orders.
The CMO Wundt spotted Karka and nodded, "I'll wake the Captain. He'll still be groggy. It's the medication that's acting to mend his wound three times faster than normal."
"Very well, if you think he can participate in the questioning of Orlov. And when can he return to duty?" Karka asked.
"Not for three days at least. But he can leave sickbay anytime now." Wundt administered a small dose of adrenaline to Schirra and the CO's eyes shot open, "You're still in sickbay, Captain. Commander Psonoir is here. How are you feeling?"
Schirra rose from the biobed and looked across sickbay to where Orlov lay almost peacefully in his own unconscious state, "I'll be doing better than our friend over there once I'm through with him. Ah, not to worry..." he looked at the worried Wundt, "But we must find out why he was willing to forsake his starship, his career and Starfleet. Have you made any progress?" he asked Psonoir.
"With Orlov, not so far, Captain. As for the planet, Wentworth is leaning towards a natural explanation for the uncertain sensor readings. So no shield generator from the USS York or anything. And as for our location... It seems the shockwave sent our kidnappers' ship... well, 500 lightyears."
"What?"
Karka cleared his throat, "500 lightyears. The Excalibur, about 400. 500 since it came here to the planet. We're about a month away from the nearest Federation outpost!"
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Jan 27, 2023 20:07:30 GMT
"What?" Daniel asked. "Five hundred Lightyears ..... The Excalibur, about Four hundred ... Five hundred since it came here to the planet. We're about a month away from the nearest Federation outpost!" For several moments, Daniel couldn't reply. Five hundred Lightyears wasn't impossible to traverse, long-range surveyor vessels have gone further in their efforts to map unexplored regions of space. Nevertheless, knowing how far they had been sent was a shock! "We need to find out just what technology Orlov has given the indigenous occupants of the planet below, and just how much his obvious disregard of the Prime Directive will cost in the long run," "It's a definite likelihood that the faux-Mayan will benefit, as to how much or how fast ....." Psonoir agreed, falling silent as Schirra turned to allow his legs to hang off the biobed. "Where do you think you are going?" Lieutenant Ellie Sim, the ship's Head Nurse asked. "Relax Nurse, I'm just getting a little circulation back into my legs before I'm paralysed completely..." Schirra replied, reluctantly returning his legs to the 'bed, "... Where are we re ship's status?" "We should have full warp capability in the next twelve hours, sensors and communications are up and running," the Exec' replied. "What about the planet?" "We're still struggling with sensor readings, we can't figure out if it's something indigenous to the planet or an undiagnosed issue with our systems ....." Karka replied. He turned as they both heard a groan from the nearby biobed and noticed that the Security Officer he had assigned had drawn his phaser and was watching the man on the bed closely. "Looks like our 'guest' is coming around," Doctor Wundt said, approaching the York's Commanding Officer. Despite objections, Daniel lowered himself off his biobed and approached the man: "Captain, can you hear me...?" he asked as Wundt ran a medical tricorder over Orlov, "... CAPTAIN!" "..... Wha ....." Orlov replied groggily. "We need to know how much you have given to the occupants of the planet you crashlanded on," Daniel said. "..... Given .....?" "Technology Captain ..... What technology? ..... We know you fabricated crude phaser rifles, how many do they have and can they fabricate replacements without your being there!?" "No, they need my exper ..... tise," Orlov replied, closing his eyes as Wundt administered a sedative. "Doctor!" Daniel snapped. "He's still recovering Captain, you can speak to him again in the morning, he'll be more coherent then..." Wundt said dismissively walking away, instructing Ellie to get him back into bed, voluntarily or otherwise as she left. Back on the biobed, Daniel glared at the unconscious Captain Orlov, wondering what had made him ignore the one thing every Starship Captain swore to! "Is there any way we can identify locations Orlov was using and destroy them from orbit...?" he mused, more hypothetical query muse than an actual question. "We can't allow the planet to advance faster than their evolutionary curve, one way or another, we need to rid them of any and 'ALL' technology before we can leave for home," he said, closing his eyes as fatigue got the better of him ..........
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Jan 28, 2023 12:09:16 GMT
Sickbay ... Forty Eight Hours Later :: "You still have a day to go before taking command Daniel," Karka said with a wry grin as the two seniormost Officers entered Sickbay ..... On the far biobed, complaining about the restraints he had been forced into, Orlov glared at them. "Captain, it's good to see you back among the living," Daniel said as he pulled a stool over. "Release me now, Captain," "I'm sorry, but the good Doctor insisted on the restrains after you injured one of her nursing staff," Karka said. "We need some information from you Captain..." Daniel began as he set a tricorder to record their conversation, "... I would of course much prefer it if you were to volunteer the information freely, but given the circumstances that we find ourselves in, I am more than willing to take whatever actions necessary to attain that information," he said, but Orlov just laughed. "If that is some sort of veiled 'threat' Captain, we both know you will not use adverse means to get what you want, so why not release me and start for home? ... I will face whatever charges are put before me on Earth, not in your 'Kangaroo' court if we actually manage reach Earth, that is," "I'm afraid that isn't practical given the distance we need to travel to actually get home..." Schirra said, picking a hypospray off the trolley and turning it over in his hands, "... Now, Doctor Wondt assures me that you are fit and well, slightly undernourished, but nothing a few good meals can't fix, so ..... I'm going to ask once more if you are willing to cooperate, and if not, then I will have to employ something a little more 'persuasive' to entice you to comply," "You'll get nothing of value from me, Captain," Orlov said, turning his head as if the conversation was over. Before he could react, Danial leaned forward and placed the hypospray against Orlov's neck and pressed the activator. Orlov's eyes widened in shock, his hand going to the location of the injection, he watched as the Excalibur's Captain flicked open a communicator: =^= Schirra to Bridge .. Energise =^= =^= Transporting now Captain .. Stand by .. .. =^= Schirra, Psonoir and the unhelpful Orlov materialised, reappearing less than a second later in the ship's Brig! "YOU CANNOT DO THIS!" Orlov screamed. "Under normal circumstances, no ..... But you have broken the one rule the Federation and Starfleet adhere to absolutely, the regulation is there for a reason Captain," "Torture is also forbidden, at least the last time I checked," Orlov said, seemingly gaining outward confidence, though Daniel didn't believe for a second that it was anything but bravado. "I want to know the locations on the surface where you have stored technology, regardless of how advanced or stage of development, and I want the information now...!" Schirra said, fighting the urge to wipe the smug expression of the fellow Captain sitting before him, "... The population on the surface, Mayan, or as close to, have seen various weapons, weapons at this stage in their evolution far beyond their skills to produce. Where are you hiding your lab?" "It's an interesting conundrum, is it not, Captain...?" Orlov said, grinning, "... There is no way you can find what you are looking for without my help, and at some point, either the River People or the Land People will stumble upon my hoard, this will, of course, change the natural development on the planet below, but who's to say they wouldn't have advanced enough in time to develop more advanced weapons themsel ....." Without warning, Daniel leaned forward and back-handed the Captain so unexpectedly that Orlov didn't have time t react as he was knocked off his seat, blood flowing freely from the deep cut to the inside of his mouth! "I'm losing patience, ORLOV!" Daniel said, fighting his anger as Karka watched on in silence. "You are no better than those below, Captain," Orlov said as he spat blood onto the deck millimetres from Schirra's boots. Daniel knew he had gone too far and had in all likelihood given Orlov exactly what he needed to remain defiant. "I'll give you twelve hours to think, Captain. Once that time is over I will use anything necessary to get what I need, regardless of the outcome to either of us...!" with that threat hanging in the air, Daniel motioned for Karka to follow him out of the cell, "... You would be very unwise to test my resolve here Captain," he finished as a forcefield snapped into place as they left, the lighting in the Brig dimmed, leaving Orlov to his own thoughts. "You think he'll talk?" Koni T'Seng, who had been standing out of sight of the brief interrogation, asked. "No ..... I don't," Daniel said, leaving the two as he headed back to his quarters. Karka and Koni watched him go before they returned to the Bridge, Schirra's assault on their prisoner wasn't spoken of ..........
|
|
Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 5, 2023 1:25:00 GMT
Unknown planet
On the surface in the city of Narinje the ajaw sat turning the precious stone that was one of the many symbols of his office over in one hand and held in the other a peculiar object, recently looted from the River Ruler. He'd been told a little of how it functioned by one of the deserters, and believed he knew what to do with it... how it would help him secure his throne not only against this traitor before him but against all comers...
Moving nothing except his eyes filled with mad and evil purpose, he switched focus from the precious stone to the traitor. "You were careless. You were unholy."
"Your Divinity, perhaps I can do something for you. Perhaps I can strike a deal with you," Kehm'ja spoke hurriedly and with an edge of desperation. Stripped of his honours and rank, the former Advisor would do anything he could to make himself useful to the youthful ruler once again.
"No... You've long plotted against me, and you took me for a fool. I was willing to tolerate it, given your military usefulness, but this time you've made a mistake; this time you've taken it too far." The ajaw raised the object in his other hand and pressed the firing button. A jagged beam of phased energy - clearly in the gift of the outsiders - shot forth and burned a hole through Kehm'ja's thorax. The former second-in-command stood there as if in shock for a moment, before folding to the floor of the throne room as if his strings had been cut. "Get rid of it," he indicated nonchalantly to his new Advisor, the courtier Marija, who nodded to spearmen to remove the corpse.
USS Excalibur, on orbit
Karka looked over his science station's latest surface scan results and cross-referenced with what Wentworth was feeding to his console. He looked again into the blue aura of the scope and withdrew, staring into nothingness for a moment.
"I do wonder if Orlov is right about us needing him to find his research centre," he said half to himself and for anyone within earshot, "We can certainly narrow it down to say a couple thousand square kilometres, and perhaps further than that, as the lab must be more or less in the River Ruler VrLatn's territory, maybe just beyond it."
"But we've scanned that region a dozen times now, Commander," Wentworth retorted and T'Seng agreed, "We haven't found anything."
"Well, perhaps we're not thinking about it properly. It may not be an advanced centre, a high concentration of more exotic metal alloys and so on. It could be something quite primitive." He looked back into the scope, "We were taken to Orlov by his shipmate Yvonne Ward; he was in a cave near some falls in VrLatn's territory. He had various bits of old machinery there, things he'd developed for the riverfolk. But none of it worked and it was of non-combat purposes. I agree he should have some other centre, where he's manufactured the primitive phaser rifles and what have you, but... where...?"
"Commander?" Koni frowned.
"Well how about underground?" he said, "The penetration level of the sensors should be able to take us down at least a couple of kilometres."
"But we believe that in that region - containing flat arid plains and a river course, estuary and sea with a nearby submarinal trench - you very quickly reach the bedrock, Karka," Wentworth replied, "There can't be much space for anything underground."
Psonoir tilted his head, "Not below ground then. But it still must be in that general region; Orlov and his crew didn't get far, at least according to his and Yvonne Ward's reports. So perhaps the lab's in the water beyond the estuary, and not beneath it..."
The intercom sounded and Psonoir headed over to the empty centre seat, Schirra still recuperating in his quarters. =/\=XO.=/\=
=/\=Sir, this is the brig officer. Captain Orlov is requesting the presence of a senior officer. He wants to talk. Or at least about something; he's been ranting about phasers, photonic launchers, the planet's political situation, medicine, crop-laying bots.=/\=
=/\=I'm on my way.=/\= He pressed the comm-off button and spoke to Koni, "Head to Captain Schirra's quarters and summon him to Orlov in the brig. And this time, Commander, you're in the room as well." She paused and nodded before heading to the turbolift; she knew what Karka meant without him having to say it; if Orlov was disagreeable and Daniel took it too far, Psonoir would like some back up. He walked to another turbolift to head separately to the brig...
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 5, 2023 14:54:11 GMT
USS Excalibur Bridge :: As Karka left to interview York's former Commanding Officer, Sarah Wentworth ran over what he had said about a possible location for any lab Orlov might have set up. Moving from the Ops Station she sat in the centre seat, nodding as the assigned Duty Operations Officer took her vacated seat: "Lieutenant Reneus..." Wentworth addressed the Navigator, "... Can you bring us around and reposition the ship in a low geostationary orbit above the Planet?" "It will depend on where, but it won't be low," Reneus replied. "Ideally between the Ajaw's City and the Estuary?" "I can, but we can't ingore physics Commander, once stationary relative to the surface, the planet's gravity will begin to pull us into the atmosphere ..... You have something in mind?" he asked as he set about reorienting the massive Constitution Class Starship. "Just something the Commander said, about any hide-out being 'in' the water rather than underground. It might be nothing, but I think it's worth scanning the area on the off-chance," "Agreed," Reneus said as the planet shifted gracefully below them, getting ever smaller in the liquid aluminium 'window' as the ship increased it's relative height above the surface until the planet seemed stationary beneath them. The Excalibur was now holding position almost thirty thousand kilometres above the surface. "This is as low as we can get?" the Operations Officer said, clearly disappointed. "Unless you want to drop in on the natives, yes," Reneus replied. "OK... Begin extensive scans of the ground three hundred sixty degrees, twenty-five kilometres out from the City's parimeter... Let's see if anything stands out ....." Captains Quarters Deck Five :: Twelve hours of the twenty-four he had given the York's Captain had already passed with no signs Orlov was going to comply. He had, albeit reluctantly, remained in seclusion, not wishing to put Karka, or Koni, in the position of having to 'officially' remove him from duty, or worst-case, place him under arrest, following his unprovoked attack on a fellow Starfleet Officer ..... He knew his career was over, Orlov wouldn't let the incident rest, despite his culpability in what was happening, he would undoubtedly lodge an official complaint against Schirra the second he had access to someone in authority. At the moment, Daniel wasn't too sure if his possible impending fall from grace, and possible imprisonment, bothered him either way! After eating something he picked up the book he had been reading: H.G. Wells' War of the Worlds, he had read it several times but still enjoyed the book. He had reached Chapter Two when the door chime sounded, sighing he placed the book on the settee: "Come..." he said. The door slid aside, his Tactical Officer stood in the corridor, "... Koni, come in, what can I do for you?" he asked. "Karka wants you to come to the Brig, apparently, Captain Orlov wants to talk," "I doubt he wants to talk to me..." Daniel said grinning as he picked up the book and replaced the bookmark, "... But hey, I could do with a walk, let's go," he said, allowing Koni to exit his quarters ahead of him. Main Brig :: Daniel slowed as he approached the Brig, Koni, realising he had fallen behind, turned: "I can always make sure the forcefield on his cell remains online, on the off-chance your 'aggressive tendencies' get the better of you in there," she said with a wry grin. "Ha, bloody, ha!" he replied as the two entered. Karka and one of the ship's Security Personnel were already there, Orlov looked at Daniel briefly before returning his attention to the Exec' "You said you wanted to talk Captain..." Psonoir said with a nod to Schirra, "... Let get to it shall we, my patience is growing thinner by the minute," Karka said as Daniel remained silent and expressionless, choosing to stand off to allow Karka free-reign to conduct the conversation. It hadn't gone unnoticed to all present, that Psonoir had made reference to his own impatience. "I wonder if it would be possible to afford me the rights I have earned..." Orlov began, now ignoring Schirra, "... I am after all a Starfleet Captain until relieved of my role by the appropriate authorities?" "You'll just have to get used to your current surroundings, Captain ..... Now ..... You said you had something to discuss?" "I had much time on the surface before your, arrival. I was, unbeknownst to my surviving crewmembers, able to find sections of the York and scavenge, for want of a better word, some equipment useful to me ..... Alas, I wasn't able to get my hands on any weapons or anything from the Engineering Section of the ship before it sank without trace," "SANK...!" Koni said, taking a step towards the forcefield, "... So the ship impacted in the SEA!" everyone realised instantly that they had been searching in the wrong place, the ship had presumably hit land before breaking up. Orlov had somehow, unbeknownst to the few survivors, taken whatever he could before the Starship sank into the depths. Karka held up a hand and Koni stepped away from the cell, not daring to look over at Daniel, who again had remained expressionless at the revelation. "You mentioned several items Captain: Phasers, photonic launchers, medicine, crop-laying bots...?" Daniel said suddenly before Karka could continue, "... Are we to assume you have provided the people below with these items, because to be perfectly frank, we have seen no evidence of 'any' of these items, save for the basic phaser you constructed?" "Oh, I'm not that stupid as to give them everything in one go, that would be somewhat idiotic of me, would it not?" Orlov replied glancing at Psonior once again as Schirra got to his feet. "This interview is over Captain," Daniel said suddenly, heading for the door. "..... You don't want to know what I gave the Maya?" "I don't think you gave them anything but the phaser rifle, of which we have seen only one, and we can take it as read that whatever power supply you used to make that functional will eventually run out, at which stage it will be nothing but an ornate club, so no, I don't think you have anything useful to divulge..." Daniel said dismissively, "... You will remain in the Brig for the duration of our mission and subsequent return to Federation Space. At which time, you will be handed over to the relevant authorities," "CAPTAIN ... You would be wise not to ignore me!" Orlov shouted as Daniel, Karka, and Koni exited the Brig, the doors sliding silently shut behind them barely muting Orlov's ranting. "Give it an hour or so then go back in there..." Daniel said to them both, "... Give him the impression that you are talking with him without my knowledge. If he thinks he's winning you over to his side he might open up more," "..... And you, Captain?" Klni asked. "I've got a book to read," Daniel said ..........
|
|
Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 9, 2023 0:23:57 GMT
Having been given his instructions by Schirra, Karka returned to the bridge for an hour to oversee the investigation of the area within the 25 km radius of the city Narinje and the nearby river course.
As it turned out he didn't need to do much as Wentworth had it well in hand, running her impromptu shift excellently, probably similar to how she had commanded the ship during its journey out here in search of the missing crewmembers. He understood the COO had commanded on the bridge while Unwin had become unofficial acting XO and had directly controlled most of the engineering section.
He surveyed the topographical map of the river, its estuary and surrounding flat lands either side to the north and south and beyond the greenery of the stream, on the auxiliary science console's display. "Nothing so far, Commander. We're intensively scanning every square kilometre of water - and every cubic kilometre beneath that we can - in the estuary and out some way to sea."
Looking to the chronometer above the viewscreen, Karka saw that nearly an hour had passed. "Keep at it," he said to the junior science officer and turned and nodded to Wentworth, "The bridge is yours."
* * *
By this time Orlov had cooled off from his previous rantings. Karka had met Koni outside the brig and they'd entered together. "You're here without his knowledge?"
"You see, Captain Orlov, Captain Schirra is being kept in his quarters, voluntarily I might add, pending disciplinary action by Starfleet Command," Karka said ridiculously, "For you're sure to press charges if you're returned to the Federation."
"You bet I will," the York CO nodded brusquely, "Though I don't exactly want to go there. I'd rather return to the surface. But Schirra hasn't been charged yet, has he? No, why isn't he in charge on your bridge?"
"Again, his consignment was voluntary," Koni said and went on with the pretence, "The important point is that we're here to help you. If we can we'd like to return you to the surface, if that's your wish." Karka shook his head at Orlov minutely; once again he couldn't understand why Orlov would want to spend the rest of his life on the damned planet, cut off from everything, living in a state of barbarism and engaged in petty conflicts between chieftains. "You have to help us understand what you've done down there though. We saw one phaser rifle. You told us about another smaller phaser you demonstrated to VrLatn. You've mentioned irrigation technologies and medicine. Where was it all manufactured?" Koni asked.
"You saw my cave," Orlov began hesitantly.
"Not that, Captain, but a proper laboratory."
The York captain bit his lip, "As I hinted at before, there are still remnants of my vessel under the ocean, alright? Near the estuary of the river along which VrLatn's people dwell. One largely intact and watertight part of it was the primary science lab. There, you have it. 'Coordinates?' I'm sure you'll ask. I don't know specifically. But if you take me down there I can point out to you physically the section of the water it's under. Last I knew it was about 1.5 kilometres down. Hopefully it's not succumbed to the depth pressure."
"Thank you, Captain. That will be all for now," Psonoir said lightly and began leaving, Orlov protesting and demanding to know when he'd be taken down. That would be up to Captain Schirra, if the York CO was going at all.
* * *
Karka and Koni headed to the bridge and entered the ready room, asking Schirra to be summoned. Daniel entered and seemed hesitant to take his chair.
Psonoir couldn't quite understand it, it was obvious to him that the captain was already in the clear. Orlov had attempted to prevent them from leaving the surface in league with riverfolk Mayans, brandishing his 'phaser rifle' contraption and threatening the Excalibur officers; as the shuttle Belize climbed through the atmosphere he'd kept on fighting with them. If Orlov was returned to the UFP - against his will - then any accusation he'd make against Schirra would surely be laughed out of court. Maybe the Excal CO would get a talking to by a division commander, but Orlov would be court martialled.
"Captain, you have nothing to answer for as far as we're concerned ," Karka said, and Koni gestured for Daniel to take the chair behind the ready room desk which he did so gratefully.
They told the captain about the interview with Orlov. Was it worth exploring the site of the sunken lab? If it was that deep underwater - surely beyond the reach of the Mayans - and Orlov wasn't returning to the surface, whatever further secrets it held would be kept there for a long time. It was true though that eventually the Mayans might develop their society enough to conduct deep submarinal explorations, and the Prime Directive would be violated, even if it took a few thousand years or more.
What to do then? Could they destroy the lab from orbit? They had to find it first, and then the use of phasers and/or torpedoes - again breaking General Order No 1 - would boil off a lot of the ocean in the vicinity and probably cause ecosystem fallout of the river course as well as tidal waves and so on.
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 10, 2023 0:46:41 GMT
Captains Quarters Deck Five ::
Daniel was almost enjoying his self-imposed isolation and had all but put thoughts of any impending courts-martial out of his head as he got engrossed in the book he was reading, so the comm chirping to life almost annoyed him for a second. Putting the book down, careful not to crack the spine of the old tome, he got up and walked to his desk, tapping the screen to acknowledge the comm:
=^= Captain .. Bridge .. Commander Wentworth .. Commander Psonoir and Commander T'Seng request you meet them in your Ready Room Sir =^= for a second he half felt like saying no but ceded.
=^= Tell them I'm on my way Commander =^= he replied, tapping the screen to close the comm, he glances at the book then picked up his earlier discarded tunic, and then left his quarters.
Captain's Ready Room :: When he arrived, he saw Karka and Koni standing in front of his desk, clearly awaiting his arrival, he paused just inside the room far enough for the door to close behind him. "Captain, you have nothing to answer for as far as we're concerned," Karka said, and Koni gestured for Daniel to take the chair behind the ready room desk, after a moment's thought he did so and asked for their report. The consensus appeared to be that they must under no circumstances allow access to Federation technology, today, tomorrow, or in a thousand years' time - These Maya 'MUST' develop and advance at their own pace, without any outside help, to do so would go against the first rule, 'General Order Number One' ..... So, they needed to come up with options ..... It was clear that firing on the remnant of the USS York from space would do more harm to the Maya than anyone wished, but what else could they do? ... While they were discussing varying options, Koni pointed out something they had all seemingly forgotten, they had to 'find' what they were looking for before they could do anything about it. It was almost two hours later and Daniel was about to dismiss his Seniormost Officers and return to his quarters when Sarah Wentworth commed them to the Bridge: Bridge :: "Commander?" Karka queried as Daniel dropped into the Centre Seat. "I might have something, approximately four point five kilometres from the mouth of the estuary and one point six kilometres down ....." she pointed at the view on screen. From their stationary position, some thirty thousand kilometres over the planet below, the view showed the shoreline and the sea beyond the mouth of the river. There, almost invisible even with enhanced filters applied, was the blurred outline of part of a circular structure. "Koni... Can you enhance that.....?" Karka asked as T'Seng took over at Tactical. She made several adjustments to the view, allowing for, atmospheric conditions, water density, filtration, sunlight and numerous other parameters until finally, they could see what was clearly man-made! ..... So part of the ship's Saucer: From the Pylon which physically connected it to the Engineering Section of the Starship, approximately one-third on the Port side had survived the initial impact. Presumably, it had originally been either on land or close enough to the shore for Orlov to make trips back and forth unseen. How it had ended up so far out, or suddenly submerged, was anyone's guess, tides, a storm surge, it didn't matter, because the focus of their attention now they knew 'where' it was, was how to completely destroy all traces of the USS York before it could be discovered by the indigenous population of the planet! "Hitting it from here is out of the question I suppose...?" Daniel asked, already knowing the answer, "... Thoughts anyone?" "We could beam in, set explosives then blow it from here," Koni suggested. "How do you know there's anywhere 'to' beam into?" Daniel asked. "Diving gear?" Jenni Gold suggested from the Communications Station. "Wayyyy too deep..." Mark Unwin commented, "... At that depth, you're looking at something in the region of hundred fifty plus bar of pressure per cubic metre, so maybe two thousand two hundred psi, give or take. At that kind of depth, you would only need to 'look' at the bulkhead the wrong way for it to implode, turning you all into so much 'soup' before you knew it was happening!" the Engineer finished with a shrug. "Is there any way to confirm if there are any intact Sections, somewhere we could transport into in suits?" Karka suggested. "Not without going much lower," Koni replied. "What about a modified shuttle...?" Daniel asked, "... Go down there, hard dock with a pressurised Section, if we're lucky enough to find one with a Docking Port, and if there aren't any, then we just drop a couple of time-delayed photon torpedoes beside the Saucer, blow them from orbit, that should ensure its complete destruction?" ..........
|
|
Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Feb 16, 2023 20:25:23 GMT
"How about moving the population a few kilometres in land, and then using photon torpedoes to destroy the intact section, Captain?" Karka asked, "We could set them down in a similar sort of area, using the transporters of one or more shuttles if we take them low enough to cut through the atmospheric interference, and far enough away so they're not too heavily affected by the ecosystem fallout."
"The Prime Directive, Karka... Violating it now so that we don't violate it a few hundred years from now isn't acceptable, as I'm sure you know."
"The way I see it the Prime Directive has already been violated, from the moment Captain Orlov and his surviving crew began trying to give the Mayans technology. Perhaps we want to limit the damage and cause no more infringements, but I don't think we should rule out committing one more violation to secure several centuries, at least, of normal development."
No one spoke for a while. "We're always muddying the waters in Starfleet, aren't we?" Koni asked pensively.
"We can't help but interfere, sometimes really through no choice of our own, and then we're always trying to fix our mistakes," Schirra nodded, "We should learn that sometimes, it's best to leave well enough alone."
Karka tilted his head, was the Captain suggesting they leave now despite the existence of the lab in the intact section of the York? It was a problem Starfleet must always wrestle with, to what extent should it claim responsibility when the natural development of a species had already been polluted? Every Commanding Officer had to face that problem at least once in their tour of duty. They could walk away, perhaps that was the best solution, or otherwise become hopelessly entangled in trying to fix the mess that'd been created.
In the end, they decided by common consent on a modified shuttlecraft and a torpedo planted within the intact section. Reinforced with extra hull plating and a strengthened structural integrity field, it was ready to pass into a low orbit over the site a few kilometres out from the estuary, after which after another brief deorbit burn it would lower its vacuum perigee beneath the waves.
Onboard the refitted Belize were Schirra, Psonoir, T'Seng, Scamacci the pilot, Unwin and Hearan from security. Schirra had been reluctant and wanted to remain on the ship, Karka had noticed with a little concern, but he'd boarded the shuttlecraft all the same.
They were soon submarinal in the waters off the estuary. Exotic fish swam by the forward portal, glittering shoals in their sinuous movement darting clear of the unusual visitor to their domains. "Approaching the coordinates. And I'm reading the York, what's left of it," Karka said, reading off the co-pilot's display, "Ok, bring us to all stop," he told Ensign Scamacci.
"From here it's straight down. Better make that descent slow, Scamacci," Daniel added, "Unwin, monitor structural integrity."
The engineer nodded and surveyed a plan view graphic of the shuttle's hull plating and structural integrity field. T'Seng meanwhile was heading aft to inspect the photon torpedo casing they'd brought with them.
Karka knew the York wouldn't be completely destroyed by the effective matter-antimatter bomb. The surrounding ocean would dampen out the explosion significantly, but still it would leave the intact section as so many tiny fragments that, over time, would be dispersed throughout the oceans. Perhaps in some distant time, scatterings of debris would wash up on the planet's beaches; he could only hope their significance wouldn't be realised, or that by then the quasi-Mayans had already become an advanced starfaring race, and would learn of the complexity of their prehistoric origins...
"I have visual," Scamacci said. Karka peered through the forward viewer. Beams from the Belize were illuminating the battered algae-ridden surfaces of a part of the Constitution class York's saucer section. The shuttlecraft passed over the dorsal surface, its beams searching for a surviving docking port.
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 17, 2023 23:44:44 GMT
On Board Shuttlecraft Belize :: Daniel didn't know why he was apprehensive, maybe it was due to fatigue, or stress, or maybe it was nothing to do with any of the aforementioned ailments .....
Belize had dropped below the surface - Effectively out of her element - As the pressure on the hull increased with every metre dropped, the shuttle groaned, straining but holding. They had no idea just how much of the York remained, but from the scans taken from orbit, there wasn't much ....."Ok, bring us to all stop," Karka told Ensign Scamacci. "From here it's straight down. Better make that descent slow, Scamacci..." Daniel added, eyeing the liquid aluminium window sceptically, "... Unwin, monitor structural integrity." Fifteen minutes later Scamacci spoke: "I have a visual," he said, pointing from the readouts to the murky water beyond the shuttle. He slowed to a relative stop and they waited for the cloud of silt whipped up by the shuttle to clear ..... "Looks like most of the saucer has gone. The Engineering Section must have gone deeper, well out of sensor range!" Koni said. "The only docking port was there, just below the Man Shuttlebay..." Unwin confirmed, "... Looks like we can get in via Cargobay Four emergency Access Port, there on Deck Three," "Can we hard dock there?" Hearan asked, the tremor in his voice obvious. "Looks OK, the Access Port appears intact, and I'm reading an atmosphere in the Cargobay and throughout that Section ..... How stable that atmosphere is is well, anyone's guess. Hell, the whole Section could implode at the drop of a hat, so to speak. I wouldn't worry though, you'll be dead before you know anything has happened," Unwin said with a wry smile. "Nice pep talk Mark, you definitely missed your vocation," Koni said as Karka instructed the Pilot to close and dock, cautiously! A few nervy moments passed as Scamacci moved Belize closer and closer, pausing every few meters to allow the silt to clear before moving forward once more. Finally, with less than two metres to go, he rotated the shuttle and used instruments to back towards the Emergency Access Port, there was a dull 'thud' as the two made contact, and everyone subconsciously held their breath for a few seconds, half expecting the York to suffer explosive decompression, but as the silt cleared they could see they were now hard-docked. Unwin checked the readings and confirmed that there was an atmosphere beyond the airlock hatch. Daniel nodded and the Excalibur's Engineer cycled the 'lock ..... Surviving Section of USS York :: As the hatch slid aside, they could smell the stale air from the York. What no one was expecting was the two bodies slumped against the airlock bulkhead! Scamacci checked the two, then shook his head, with a glance at the bodies the team headed further into what remained of the Starship ..... Unwin confirmed that practically all four Decks of the Section, For'ard Aft of the Saucer were clear, though how they were holding at this depth with the enormous amount of damage suffered was incredible, to say the least. "Can we get to the Bridge?" Daniel asked, illogically imagining trickles of icy cold water dribbling down the walls before shaking the feeling off. "Yes, though there's no power, we're on emergency lighting, battery backup is keeping the air just breathable, but I'd not stay longer than we need to," "Science and Engineering are gone, but there are Officer Quarters on Decks Two and Three, plus Recreation, it's possible Orlov used one or more of those areas," T'Seng commented. "OK .... There's a Jeffries Tube here, we'll climb..." Daniel said, looking at the others, "... Koni and I will search Deck One and the Bridge, Karka, you and Mark take Decks Two and Three. Scammaci, Hearan, you search this Deck then head up, Comm if you find anything," he stepped into the Access Tube, Koni close behind him as they began to climb, they heard Psonoir and Unwin leave the ladder as he and Koni climbed up to Deck One ..... The Oberth Class was relatively small in Starship terms, and Deck One was mainly taken up by the Bridge itself, Officer Quarters, and Lifeboat, accessible from both Deck One and Two, but it was clear it was no longer in place: "Maybe that's how Orlov got off the ship if he was still here when it began to sink?" Koni suggested before gasping. Ahead of her were four Officers, all dead. Daniel rested a hand on her shoulder easing her away from the deceased and towards the Bridge itself. Emergency lighting flickered dramatically as the two stepped over the threshold, there were more dead here, clearly the Bridge Officers. "Try to assess the log," Daniel ordered as he approached the centre seat and the woman slumped in it. After a moment he took his communicator from his pocket and flicked it open: =^= Schirra to Psonoir .. .. =^= =^= Psonoir =^= =^= Find anything? =^= =^= Bodies .. .. You? =^= Karka asked. =^= Same .. .. Though I don't think the people up here died in the crash .. .. =^= he said, seeing Koni turn at his comment. =^= Oh? =^= the Exec' asked. =^= Not unless they managed to stab themselves to death on their way down .. Keep your eyes open! =^= he snapped the communicator shut and returned it to his jacket, then lifted the woman out of the centre seat before laying her on the deck. Koni helped with the other three dead, placing them side by side. He could see T'Seng looking at the corpses, knowing what she was thinking - Who did this! ..........
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Feb 19, 2023 14:36:03 GMT
Bridge USS York :: Daniel tentatively lowered himself into the centre seat and flipped open the armrest panel, almost annoyed at finding it lifeless. "According to this, someone sealed the turbolift access to the Bridge 'before' they entered the atmosphere!" Koni said from the ship's Auxiliary Engineering Station, breaking him out of his detachment. "Presumably to do this?" Schirra said, motioning towards the dead bodies. "But why, the Bridge is normally staffed by what, six, maybe seven Officers, whoever did this had to somehow get half of them off the Brideg before he, or she, attacked the remainder... I've managed to access the ship's Personnel database, the woman is Lieutenant Commander Joclyn Feldman: Operations Officer, Lieutenant Ewan Cleveland: Tactical, Lieutenant Devon Heartsfeld: Science, and Ensign Thomas Riggs: Navigation. All were obviously overcome, prresumably by their assailant. But I don't get it..." Koni said, looking at the bodies deep in thought, "... Cleveland, Heartfeld and Riggs, they're all 'big' men, powerful, how did they allow someone to attack them without fighting back?" "They could have been unconscious before they were killed, whoever murdered them did it for pure self-gratification!" Daniel replied as Scammaci and Hearan clambered out of the Jeffries Tube: "There's more dead below..." Scaracci confirmed as he looked at the four dead, "... All seem to have either died from the initial impact or shortly afterwards, there are signs of water seepage near the emergency bulkhead for'ard of the missing Aft Pylon. The carpet is soaked there too, we've done the best we could for the dead, I think there's too many to transport back to the Excalibur without doing several trips," "The bulkheads are under tremendous strain from the outside pressure, they could give in at any time," Hearan commented in almost a whisper, knowing what was saying. "Koni, try to get a record of the ship's logs, they'll be needed when we get back," Daniel said. "You think Orlov did this...!?" Hearan asked as he knelt beside Commander Feldman's body, "... I knew her, she was in the year above me at the Academy," "Orlov, or possibly someone he was working with, he's not about to tell us," Scammaci said, slamming a fist into the nearby console. "Any signs of this 'Lab' Orlov mentioned?" "No, but there were several rooms we didn't go in, the doors were ice-cold, damp, so likely flooded, it's possible the Exec' and Commander Unwin are having better luck," Hearan replied. Then without warning a shudder ran through their feet and the remains of the York seemed to slide forwards, they could hear the hull complaining, before coming to rest once again, but now pitching down forward at an angle of approximately fifteen degrees! "Bloody hell," Scammaci muttered, voicing everyone's unspoken concern. "OK ..... We'll wait for them to finish up their search then make a decision as to how to proceed," Daniel said, after a moment before rotating the centre seat so as not to have the bodies of the Youk's crew in his line of sight ..........
|
|
Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Mar 9, 2023 0:15:24 GMT
OOC: written on my phone
IC: The two officers had been exploring deck 2 of the downed Oberth class for some time. As Karka had reported, they had indeed found a number of bodies of crewmembers, but as they went through the only partly habitable deck they found they weren't drawing any closer to an understanding of what'd caused their several deaths.
Unwin stopped up ahead and the Hybrudean could hear scraping of metal from his location, the engineer calling for him to assist with shifting a powerless door that was also partly blocked by debris.
Shoving it the rest of the way aside, the duo started at the sight of the interior of the dimly lit space.
"What was this room for?" Mark asked.
"If I remember the schematics of the Oberth class correctly, this is the main office of the Security department," Psonoir replied, "Emptied of contents, of course." Bare as anything, there was only a chair pulled partly out of its fixture in the deck and some scatterings of detritus in two corners. Karka frowned as he took this in.
"What is it?"
"Look at the pattern in the debris," the science officer and XO replied, "doesn't it seem as if...?" They could see clearly enough that there was a further room within the gutted office, lying at the back and rather poorly concealed - a thin grey seam line of a door was evident in the faded blue wall, and to either side and in front of it debris from whatever had been in the office betrayed that the contents had been dragged or carried through the door.
The additional room didn't seem standard to them, and once they'd found their way in courtesy of the disguised door, it became certain that it wouldn't be found in any schematic. In an alcove in the wall of the small space was a jury-rigged single pad personnel transporter.
Karka took out his communicator, about to comm Schirra and co when Unwin alerted him having gone back into the main room, "Commander..."
The engineer appeared at the retracted concealed door, clutching several depleted power cells of phaser rifles and other parts of various articles of Starfleet weaponry, "Looks like a lot of this stuff has been taken apart and put back together again."
"Orlov's weapons lab? Or simply where he took the tech from...?" Karka turned back to the transporter alcove, "I think he's been to the ship more recently than he would've had us believe. He may have used the office for a lab at some point, though clearly not any more."
Unwin regarded the power cells, "Perhaps he no longer considered the York safe, worried about the pressure and other deteriorating conditions, and chose to move the items he had in the lab through that?" he indicated the transporter, "Which was one more thing he was able to build."
"Perhaps or probably with the help of someone on his crew..." Psonoir added, "What went wrong that so many of the rest of them were killed...?" he looked wonderingly about the sunken ship then studied the transporter pad more closely,
"Hmm... this is a rudimentary bit of equipment... I would suggest it's limited to beaming of matter to one set of spatial coordinates, perhaps with a similar device at that end which allows transportation back here..."
As he spoke something started happening. With a distant whining of dislocated duranium, the York slid some way down the incline it'd come to rest at on the seabed, finishing with the prow pitching over 15 degrees into a deep fault line and abyss.
Gripping on to the support strut at one side of the transporter, Karka panted as the movement ceased, "I have to say I cannot blame Orlov for wanting to move his lab off ship!"
Unbeknownst to the duo, with the disturbance of the vessel the shuttle Belize had been thrown clean away from its tenuous mooring!
He raised his communicator again, =/\=Schirra, this is Psonoir. We believe we've found the remnants of Orlov's lab aboard the vessel.=/\= He went on to give the details about the transporter found in the hidden space.
Unwin spoke, =/\=And Captain, we think he and/or an accomplice took his equipment and manufactured tech through the improvised transporter, at some unspecified time since the crash.=/\=
Karka dragged himself into the main room and collapsed into the chair. Moving about with the deck pitched at this angle was decidely impractical.
He lifted his communicator again, =/\=Sir, I suggest we remain here no longer than is necessary. We don't know when or how severe the next disturbance of the vessel may be. For me there are two options. Either we all head through this transporter - I believe it may take us to the current location of the lab, wherever that may be, presumably somewhere down here on the planet but on dry land. Or we can return to the Belize.=/\=
=/\=The second is a no go, Karka. Belize has been shaken free from her docking port,=/\= Daniel reported to Karka's dismay. =/\=We're trying to raise the Excalibur now but are experiencing similar comm difficulties to when we were first stranded.=/\=
=/\=The way I see it we can keep trying or use this transporter. We could try both,=/\= the XO offered.
He wished the device could be tested... Beam something inanimate through it first. But they'd have no way of knowing where it'd end up and no way to scan for it once it reached its destination unless that happened to be near by.
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Mar 9, 2023 19:38:08 GMT
Deck Two USS York :: =^= .. .. And Captain .. We think he and possibly an accomplice took his equipment and manufactured tech through the improvised transporter .. At some unspecified time since the crash =^= Unwin added as Karka lifted his own communicator:
=^ = Sir .. I suggest we remain here no longer than is necessary .. We don't know when or how severe the next disturbance of the vessel may be .. .. =^= he paused for a moment, trying to come up with alternate options but drew a blank:
=^= .. .. There are two options .. Either we all head through this transporter .. I believe it may take us to the current location of the lab wherever that may be .. Presumably somewhere down here on the planet but on dry land .. .. Or we can return to Belize =^=
=^= The second is a no-go .. Belize has been shaken free from her docking port .. We're trying to raise the Excalibur now but are experiencing similar comm difficulties to when we were first stranded =^= Schirra confirmed.
=^= The way I see it we can keep trying or use this transporter .. We could try both =^= the Executive Officer suggested. After a moment's thought, Daniel replied:
=^= We're on our way to you .. .. =^= he said, snapping the communicator shut as they headed for the corridor .....~~~~~~~~~~ Karka and Mark Unwin were kneeling beside the decidedly jury-rigged apparatus when Daniel and Koni, followed seconds later by Scammaci and Hearan, entered. "Bloody hell, I know you said it was botched together, but ....." Koni said as she eyes the platform that might have formally been one of the bulkhead panels. "Thoughts?" Schirra asked as Karka got to his feet leaving Unwin to poke around inside the crude control console. "Well, given there's no chance of the Belise reappearing, it's the Excalibur, or, this!" he said. "..... And you're confident it will get us off this wreck before it decides to sink into the depths?" T'Seng asked placing one booted foot on the platform to test its rigidity. "It looks functional, there's a constant power supply..." Unwin said frowning, "... No way of knowing if Orlov used this thing just for materials, or he and whoever else transported off the ship prior to it sank," he said with a non-committal shrug. "That platform doesn't look large enough to transport all of us at once," Koni stated. "We'll go in two groups of three..." Daniel said, taking his phaser to check the setting before asking Karka for his communicator. He flicked it open and placed it on the console, "... We'll shout if it's clear to follow," he said, pointing to Koni and Scammaci before stepping onto the shaky platform, T'Seng and the shuttle pilot following suit. "..... Erm..." Unwin said slowly, glancing at Karka before continuing, "... And if you don't shout?" "Then I'd strongly suggest you start working on a means to contact Excalibur..." Daniel said with a wry smile, "... OK, let's go," he said. Koni kneeled, her phaser pointing to Schirra's left, Scammaci did likewise aiming right. With a nod, Karka activated the transport. For a second nothing happened, then they felt the tell-tale caress and began to dematerialise. Ten seconds passed, then twenty, Hearan was reaching for the communicator when it beeped to life: =^= Come through .. .. Now =^= they heard Schirra's hesitant instruction. Mark Unwin stepped onto the shakey platform, Hearan following him, and both stood waiting for Karka. From what they could see there was no 'delay' built into the patched-together apparatus, so all he could do was set the transport and jump onto the platform as quickly as possible. No one mentioned the result should Psonoir fail to get up in time, or worst-case, slip part way. All three were holding their phasers as Karka jumped ..... Dry Land :: At first, he wasn't sure where they were, as it was pitch dark, then as his eyes became acclimatised, he could make out a distinct shadow, T'Seng and Scammaci had moved to cover left and right as Daniel dropped into a crouch, phaser pointed at the shadowy form. He was about to speak when he felt something cold, and sharp, touch the back of his neck: "Tell the others to come through, captain, and please ..... Don't give the man behind you any excuse to push that weapon into your spinal column," Daniel lifted the communicator and did as he was told, a second later the room filled with early evening moonlight as the man giving the orders approached: "Captain Schirra..." the man said as they moved away from the platform, "... I don't believe we've met ..... Commander Kevin Parks, Exec' USS York," he said. After a few seconds of disbelief, Daniel lowered his phaser and took the offered hand. "Captain Orlov said you had died in the crash..." Schirra said, thankful the spear was no longer pushing against his neck, "... I have to say, you look remarkably healthy ..... For a dead man," "No, I survived, just, more by luck than skill. Orlov ....." Parks began but fell silent without finishing the sentence, "... I wasn't expecting, visitors, though I'm glad you managed to get off the ship, I thought it might have slipped into the depths by now," "I'm as surprised as you are," was all Daniel could reply, as Karka, Unwin, and Hearan materialised ..........
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Mar 12, 2023 12:51:50 GMT
"No, I survived, just, more by luck than skill. Orlov ....." Parks began but fell silent without finishing the sentence, "... I wasn't expecting, visitors, though I'm glad you managed to get off the ship, I thought it might have slipped into the depths by now,"
"I'm as surprised as you are," "You are in no danger Captain, in fact, I believe I could be of help to you, in at least diminishing the effect our breaking of General Order Number One has had," the York's Executive Officer said. Daniel wasn't sure why, but he felt he could trust the man to keep his word, but he needed to hear more. Daniel held up a hand as the remainder of his party materialised on the makeshift pad: "Lower your weapons," he ordered. "Commander Psonoir, you won't remember me, but we met once at an Academy function. Parks, Kevin Parks..." the man said, stepping forward and offering his hand, which Karka took while glancing at Schirra, "... I'm sorry but I haven't met the remainder of your party, maybe we can do introductions later as I believe you might have questions?" "You were about to say something about Captain Orlov?" Daniel said as the two Maya guards left. "The Captain made, an error of judgement..." Parks began as he poured juice into hollowed-out coconut husks, handing each of them one in turn, "... We had initially remained hidden from the general populace, as per regulations, but after the second day, the Captain insisted on making one-to-one contact. Despite our strenuous objections, he was transported down to the surface, that's when the trouble began because once he was down we couldn't get him back. In fact, we're still not sure 'how' the transport managed to cycle given the atmospheric conditions," "Why did he want to meet the locals?" Koni T'Seng asked. "I've no idea, and he was less than forthcoming when asked," Parks replied, frowning. "He was on the surface alone for two full days before we located him. He seemed perfectly fine, updating the Senior Staff on his progress, but then during the night shift he sabotaged the drive systems on the York and we began to plummet into the atmosphere. We tried all we could, got as many of the crew into lifeboats as we could before we came apart, but only a handful survived the impact..." the Exec' said, shaking his head in despair, "... Most of the York disappeared into the depths, the sea drops off almost vertically at around three kilometres from the shore down to smell beyond eight kilometres. But a small section of the Saucer remained lodged on a shelf, which is crumbling under the added weight, as you are aware," Orlov killed most of the survivors on the first day, three of us tried to escape and come up with a plan to capture or at least incapacitate Orlov, but he found us and shot all three. Luckily, presumably, because he was firing into pitch darkness, he only winged one of the crew and myself. The Captain took the only remaining shuttle to the surface but which we 'think' flooded and sank, but not before he got much of what he needed," You said you could help us," Daniel insisted. "I want off this planet as much as you do Captain..." Park's said as he began pacing back and forth in the small room, "... I assume you have Orlov, or at least that's what I've been informed?" "We have," Daniel said, not expanding on the comment. "He was trying to manufacture phased weapons for the Land Peoples, the Narin, my former associate and I had been making trips into the cave system disabling or destroying what we could, but he sent people after us and Finchetti was killed," "Leaving just you?" T'Seng asked. "Yes," Park's replied ..........
|
|
Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Mar 17, 2023 20:39:05 GMT
Karka just about scrambled on to the makeshift pad and sighed inwardly as he was dissolved by the wash of spiralling gold along with the other two, reemerging in darkness punctuated by the moonlight of the Mayan planet, the lights of the tricorder of the three who'd preced them and a flame from a quasi-Mayan brazier in the far left corner.
"Lower your weapons," Schirra had ordered, and their new host had revealed that he was Kevin Parks of the York who Orlov and Yvonne Ward had told the four strandees about when they'd first met him at the falls in the River Ruler's territory.
Parks explained what'd happened to bring about the York's loss, as well as some of what'd happened afterwards. Of three of those who'd escaped from Orlov in the first day since the forced planetfall by the CO's shuttlecraft and numerous escape pods, Parks was the only one that remained. "It's possible others of the crew have been able to survive this long," he admitted, "Others who escaped from the Captain without my or Finchetti's or my other dead colleague's knowledge. Though I have no idea where they are."
"It seems for now none of us have a way of return," Karka observed, "Until the Excalibur can establish contact and send another shuttlecraft like they did before with the Belize. Where are we, Commander Parks, in relation to the territories of the Narinje ajaw and VrLatn?"
"We're on the western edge of VrLatn's land, the lower course of the river some way south of the estuary, a series of caves," the York XO replied, "I captured the caves from Orlov six months ago, hence my possession of this transporter pad leading to the York where Orlov used to return to get additional equipment from his onboard lab, converted from the Security office - which you must've been in to transport here."
He went on, "A little north of here, in another sequence of caves and mesas, is where Orlov has his several makeshift labs, one abandoned after the other, as myself and Finchetti - along with the Mayans, the few who've flocked to us fleeing the cruelties of VrLatn and of the ajaw - have been able to destroy... by as I said disabling or breaking the machinery, or smoking out the Mayans within and killing them.
"You've been killing them?" Koni asked, "I thought you were trying to preserve the Prime Directive?"
"Yes. We were," he wrung his hands, "But I'm afraid we had no choice. It was them or us. Orlov has them fighting for him with such fanaticism that if we attempt to reason with them they'd quickly tear us apart."
"Well, Orlov is with us now, on the Excalibur, so he should be no threat," Schirra said.
"The last few of the labs, and the new tech in them, were going to be hit by myself and my Mayans about a month from now," Parks went on, "Now that you tell me Orlov is no longer on the planet, I may be able to move my timeline up a little bit."
"We can help you," Schirra affirmed, "But further contamination of the planet and its population must be kept to an absolute minimum."
"Amen, sir," Parks nodded.
"What about the York, or what's left of it?" Unwin asked. "We can't leave it as it is, surely."
Psonoir considered it and nodded thoughtfully. With the photon torpedo 'bomb' they'd brought with them stranded on the Belize, they had no way of using it to obliterate the Oberth class. He spoke, "We can at least destroy the transporter pad that you have here, Commander Parks, and so stop people from beaming back to the York. Eventually - perhaps in a short time - the York will fall off the submarinal shelf and plunge several kilometres further down. Surely not to be found by any Mayans for centuries, perhaps thousands of years hence, by which time their society will likely have been completely transformed, if it survives at all. I'm sorry, Captain, Commander," he signalled Schirra and Parks, "I'm afraid it's the best we can do with the York while we can't use offensive weaponry."
=/\=Belize, this... the Excalib-.... Come in, Belize.=/\=
The CO opened his communicator and acknowledged. The vessel was on to them quick, Karka thought. He supposed they already knew a little from last time how to cut through the atmospheric interference. The comm was scrambled but Wentworth's voice was clear enough. She must've commed the Belize first of all and receiving nothing had switched to its former occupants. The Captain and Koni gave a status update.
The ship replied, =/\=Copy, we'll send down another - ... Note Captain Orlov - ... gone from his brig ce-...=/\=
Karka waited; they'd lost the comm. "What was that last...?" Hearan asked. No one spoke. It was evident to all what she'd intended to say.
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Mar 18, 2023 20:43:33 GMT
=^= Copy .. We'll send down ano .. .. ote Captain Orlov .. .. gone from his bri .. .. .. =^= Karka waited, but they'd lost the comm.
"What was that last...?" Hearan asked. No one spoke. It was evident to all what she'd intended to say ..... "Is there 'ANY' way he could get down to the surface?" Daniel asked. "I don't see how, hell, we only just managed to get here, so unless he's going to commandeer one of the other shuttlecraft ....." Koni said with an exaggerated shrug. "You were about to say something about your Captain?" Schirra said, turning back to York's Executive Officer. "It doesn't matter, in the scheme of things, besides, it shouldn't take your crew long to apprehend him," "What about this..." Karka said, motioning towards the decidedly 'secondhand' transporter pad, "... Is there any way we could modify it to get us back to the Excalibur?" "Not a chance. To be honest, I was under the impression that when I came back from the ship, it was already going into self-destruct beneath my boots," Kevin Parks said. "..... And just out of curiosity, Captain Orlov wouldn't be able to lock onto either pad from our ship?" Daniel asked nervously. "I seriously doubt that Captain, the atmospheric interference is too sporadic, there would be no guarantee the lock would remain let alone for the time it would take to transport someone successfully," "So we can at least count him out for the time being..." Schirra said, unconvincingly, "... Now, we need to find a way out and onto open land where we can be seen from the air. I don't want anyone from Excalibur having to hunt around locating us," "Well, providing we're not disturbed, we could set out before dawn ..... There's a vast area to the north-west of us, open grassland, that would be OK," "I'm still worried about the remaining section of the York, it's not deep enough," Koni said. "If Commander Wentworth manages to get down here in one of the shuttles, we could fire on the area from high altitude..." Mark Unwin suggested, everyone's expressions showing they were not as confident, "... I doubt we would be able to hit the saucer section directly, but we 'could' hammer the surrounding landscape, the likelihood of a major sub-surface landslide would be large, and if it did slide away it would undoubtedly take the remainder of the ship with it into the depths," "We figured the ocean bottoms out at around eight, maybe nine kilometres..." Commander Parks said, "... The pressure at that depth should crush whatever remains of the ship completely, and with luck, it should be buried by the landslide," "OK, first things first, if we're not going to look at using that thing again..." Schirra said, pointing at the rickety platform that had arrived on, "... Then we should dismantle or destroy it, not point in giving Orlov a free opening," "..... Or, we could just remove the power supply," Parks said, walking over to pull a thick cable out from beneath the device in a shower of sparks before the whole thing went dark ..........
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Mar 19, 2023 16:15:14 GMT
Several Hours Later :: "You trust him?" Mark Unwin asked Daniel as they walked just outside the mouth of the cave. It was dark, well past midnight, so the chances of them being seen by any outsiders were remote. "To be perfectly honest..." Schirra said, turning to look back at the concealed mouth of the cave, "... No, I don't ..... It all seems too convenient. Orlov said that the crew perished, but was a little 'too' vague on who had survived. Oh I can understand Parks wanting to hinder Orlov's supplying the locals, but, oh I don't know," he finished, clearly frustrated. "He was a little keen on you not destroying the transporter pad outright," "Well, he obviously put a lot into it, maybe it's some sentimental attachment, who knows," Schirra said as Koni approached. Karka is looking over everything Parks has in the caves," she said, glancing up at the two moons that had now appeared above the pitch-black horizon. "Well, if there's anything to be found, Karka will find it," Mark Unwin said with a wry grin that was completely missed in the darkness. "We need to find a way back to the Excalibur, and some way to prevent any further contamination of the indigenous population, but I'm at a total loss, I have any idea how to go about either," Daniel said. "Parks is still not back," Koni said. "He's supposedly checking this parameter he's set up..." Unwin said doubtfully, "... did offer to accompany him but he said there were too many places where someone unfamiliar could trip or fall," Daniel looks at the stars ..... Somewhere up there was the Excalibur, presumably making every effort to retrieve their missing Officers ..... He wondered vaguely how Starfleet would react if or when they returned to Earth. The loss of the USS York, initially believed with all hands, had proved erroneous, and several had n fact survived. But rather than find somewhere secluded to either await rescue or in the worse case, live out the remainder of their lives without interacting with the locals, the York's Commanding Officer had ingratiated himself with one of the leaders and offered help in their efforts to defeat another powerful Ruler!
Worse still ..... They had found, almost by accident, a section of the York. Boarding, they had discovered almost thirty of the Crew and Officers of the ship dead. Those on the Bridge had been killed by phaser fire at very close range, while others had suffered the same fate of had been killed during in-fighting, but why, or by whom, he still couldn't prove unequivocally, though he couldn't help but have his suspicions!
Now they had found one of the survivors, the York's Executive Officer, who had openly admitted killing members of the indigenous population, citing self-preservation for his acts.
Sighing, he realised that there was no way to completely irradicate the effects of their presence, Captain Orlov, and to a lesser measure, Commander Parks, had already seen to that ..... Their presence, along with allowing the 'locals' to see technology far beyond anything their 'stone axes' and 'iron spearheads' could produce, made the York's Officers guilty beyond any reasonable doubt, and they would assuredly answer for their actions, but only if he could get them back to Earth ..... He stood up, stretching out the persistent ache in his back before turning toward the cave entrance. "Get some rest..." he told the others, "... We have some decisions to make in the morning," "Goodnight, Sir," Koni said, receiving a wave from Schirra as he walked away ..........
|
|
Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Apr 4, 2023 20:31:49 GMT
Karka stood before some of the machinery that Parks had in his series of caves, machinery which presumably had been here since the time the caves were controlled by Orlov and before they'd been stormed by Parks.
The various bits and pieces were either of slightly altered Starfleet design or entirely jury-rigged products taken from different resources aboard the York, and very clearly originally taken by Orlov through the point-to-point transporter system located on the York and in the caves. It wasn't so very different from what they'd found in Orlov's new cave by the falls in VrLatn's territory, and Karka was a little concerned that Parks - while wanting to destroy Orlov's labs and machinery to preserve the Prime Directive as best as he could - had some equipment of his own.
It had to be said though that a lot of it seemed broken down and disused, perhaps with the newer units possessed by Orlov. Perhaps none of what he had before him had been utilised by Parks for anything.
With a view out one of the cave entrances, he leant on a half-finished hydration regulating unit presumably meant for the irrigation system VrLatn had been wishing to use, and studied the positions of the two moons... From them he reckoned that daylight was about an hour and a half away, and indeed on going outside he saw the sky brightening very slightly to a solid grey out towards the horizon of sunrise.
Parks had wanted to be moving by now, heading for Orlov's various cave systems here south of the river, but Schirra and the Belize's team had asked he hold off until the following night - in about 9 hours time going by the length of the planet's day.
It didn't seem right to them to allow either Orlov - in absentia - or Parks to get the upper hand, when they could sit tight and wait for the Excalibur to locate them, sending them a new shuttlecraft with, in case it was needed, the means to transport Parks aboard while it remained below the atmospheric layer causing the interference. That latter option might become necessary if the York XO wasn't present with them at the time or couldn't be led willingly or otherwise into the shuttle.
"Commander, can I help you?"
Psonoir turned sharply and saw Parks before him. The York XO had followed him out the cave entrance, to this point on an outjutting of rock pointing towards the south and overlooking a series of ravines, whose floors and sides were becoming discernible as the grey illumination of dawn grew more pallid and shot through with light. Everything was still faded as if it was part of an old monochrome so-called movie, but then the sky of the Mayan planet during day was mostly grey anyway, only flecked with azure and tangerine hues.
"Just trying to divine the time, Commander," Psonoir replied and smiled.
"We have a water clock that could've told you that, something of local manufacture. These Mayans are quite sophisticated, you know - well, as far as their civilisation goes."
"I'll have a look at it," Karka nodded, "I don't doubt their sophistication... We've seen the temples and city buildings remininscent of Chichen Itza and other places in the Americas. But reckoning by astronomical objects is sure to give more accuracy, I hope you would agree. You haven't forgotten what it's like up there," he pointed heavenwards, "and about the three dimensional nature of reality, so soon, have you Mr Parks?"
"Of course not," Parks laughed, "And indeed I agree," he bowed slightly, "Well, I hope your ship finds us soon. I'd like to return. But first - this following night - I must destroy the rest of Orlov's equipment: his two or three labs in the caves he owns across the south-western part of River Ruler VrLatn's territory."
"It's in the hands of the Captain whether or not you're to be supported by us," Karka replied, "But I believe there's nothing we could or would want to do to stop you at this time."
Of course, Orlov's labs needed to be destroyed, but Karka was beginning to get a sense that he'd seen this sort of thing down on this planet before: two local rivals, effectively potentates, combating each other, trying to get the upper hand. Who? The obvious answer, VrLatn and the Narinje ajaw. Or was it Orlov and Parks? Perhaps both. The fight between Parks and Orlov might just be as much a petty squabble as it was between the natives; nothing to do with preserving the Prime Directive. Orlov as it was known (despite being on the Excal) was allied with VrLatn. Was Parks allied with the ajaw?
It was just a theory at this time; in any case Parks was responding. "Captain Schirra said he'll support us in the attack on the various labs in about, oh... eight and a half hours time. That is, unless your ship finds us first and a shuttlecraft is sent. In which case I'll put my design on hold. Of that you have my word as a Starfleet officer."
Karka paused, eventually nodded, and moved past the imposing figure of Parks - about six and a half feet - to return to the caves, wanting to find his Excalibur colleagues. He had to hope Wentworth would find them in the next few hours, or the five of them might be accompanying Parks in his raid on Orlov's associates...
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Apr 9, 2023 13:29:46 GMT
Following Morning :: Daniel woke, his neck sore, but that was the least of their problems ..... "What do you mean you're going regardless of orders?" he heard someone saying. "You can't want to leave the technology Captain Orlov has developed to the, the, natives...!" Parks retorted, clearly frustrated, as Schirra approached, "... Captain, surely you agree with me?" "I agree we cannot leave anything behind..." Schirra said, holding up a hand to stem any reply before it materialised, "... But our priority is getting back to the Excalibur. Once there we can make decisions as to what we leave behind. You said that Orlov has several caves where he was conducting efforts to arm the locals, is there any way we could destroy these caves from orbit?" "I seriously doubt it Captain, they are deep and the rock cover is hard, you might collapse them using torpedoes, but there's no guarantee," Parks said, clearly eager to get out of the room and on with the task he'd seemingly assigned himself. "First I think we should examine the caves in question..." Schirra said hesitantly, making everyone look at him, "... If we can destroy the caves from here all well and good, either way, we can ensure the Maya cannot get their hands on anything Orlov has produced. As for the phaser weapons, there's no chance they could replicate or improve on what the Captain has produced thus far, so once the power supply has exhausted, they're essentially nothing better than fancy clubs," "Sir?" Karka commented. "We need off this damn planet Karka. Orlov has a lot to answer for once we get home, but our priority is removing or destroying whatever he's done so far, don't you agree?" Schirra asked, eyeing his Executive Officer through narrowed eyes. "Well ..... Of course," Psonoir replied. "OK, then I believe something to eat would help, then we'll accompany Commander Parks to the first of the caves he wants to destroy," "..... And the Excalibur?" "If they can find a way to retrieve us, all well and good," Schirra said, glancing at the York's Exec' before walking away from the group to seat himself at the table for a breakfast of fruit and juice ..... Captain's Ready Room ... USS Excalibur :: "Commander, we're ready," the Engineer informed Sarah. "What about the shields?" "We've improved output on shields and the phaser array, as for keeping out of sight of the locals, there's not really much we can do on that front, unless of course you have the plans for a cloak handy," the man said, grinning. They had all been working well beyond normal limits to find a means to get the Away Team back to the ship. "Hmm, no, sorry," Wentworth replied. "we've been scanning the region immediately surrounding where we believe the Away Team to be located..." the Duty Tactical Officer began, "... We have three viable landing places, each 'should' theoretically keep us well out of the native's normal working areas. One is less than two kilometres from where we last spoke to Commander Psonoir, the other two are further away, five and eight kilometres respectively," "OK ..... We'll try for the nearest landing area, once on the ground our priority is our people, anything else is secondary, is that understood?" she asked. "Understood," they replied in unison as Sarah stood, they followed suit and returned to the Bridge. One of the Security Personnel assigned to the Bridge approached as Wentworth sat down. "Commander, we've located Captain Orlov ....." the woman said. "Good, lock him the hell up and throw awa ....." "Commander, he's in Main Engineering. He's managed to get hold of a phaser and is holding several people down there, he wants the warp core taken offline, or he says he'll kill the people he's holding and do it himself!" ..........
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Apr 9, 2023 18:00:27 GMT
Lieutenant Commander Sarah Wentworth, currently in Command of the Federation's newest Starship, blinked ..... "You think he's serious?" someone asked. "He's not down there for the good of his health..." Sarah said, standing to pace the Bridge. She turned to the Engineer Captain Orlov had dispatched with his ultimatum, "... Where was he when he sent you up here Lieutenant?" "He was moving towards the matter/antimatter intermix chambers, but he could be anywhere by now," the woman said with a resigned shrug. "..... And you're sure he had a weapon?" "Yes," the Junior Engineer replied. Sarah recommenced her pacing, trying not to give the impression she was out of her depth but failing miserably. "Phase pistol ..... It was set to 'kill' ....." "Can't we flood Engineering with anesthizine gas, drop him like a stone?" the Duty Tactical Officer suggested. "He'd have time to fire before the gas took effect," the Engineer replied. "Then beam him out!" "Again, he'd have time to fire before the transporter sequence was fully initiated," "Then I suppose I'd better go see if he's willing to talk," Sarah said, striding towards the turbolift with much less confidence than she 'hoped' she was showing ..... Main Engineering USS Excalibur :: As she entered, one of Excalibur's Engineers - Lieutenant Kevin Lumis - Approached: "He's set on either killing us or going back to the surface unaccompanied," the Chief Engineer said, nodding towards the dishevelled man who stood opposite. Sarah could see that he had clearly picked his location with care - He was indeed leaning with his right shoulder against the external casements that contained the matter/anti-matter chambers that powered the warp drive of the Starship. In his left hand, the phase pistol was resting against his right forearm, the business end of the weapon mere millimetres from the gleaming metallic container. "You really think you can hold us hostage, Captain?" Wentworth said, taking a few paces into Engineering proper. "You are free to call my bluff, so to speak, Commander," Orlov said, waving the phase pistol a fraction to solidify his point. "We're not going to shut down the core. To do so would leave the ship helpless, our orbit will begin to decay the second battery pow ....." "I'm well aware of the repercussions of my demands, Commander. Now..." Orlov said, adjusting his position slightly, rubbing the pistol along his bicep, presumably to alleviate the 'pins and needles' beginning in his right arm after prolonged resting against the cold surface, "... So, I have an alternate for you. You have readied a shuttlecraft to go back to the surface to recover your Away Team. I am willing to leave the ship systems fully intact, providing you allow me to board the shuttle and return to the surface," "What's to stop us simply getting you on the shuttle and then holding the shuttle outside the ship, let's face it, losing a shuttlecraft could be much less problematic than a whole vessel?" Wentworth asked, risking several more paces forward. "Oh, I have thought about that Commander ..... I will input a group of commands which, without me confirming their erasure within a set time limit, would disable matter/antimatter containment in my absence," "..... And who's to say you won't simply go to the surface and let us go up in smoke!?" Lumis demanded. Orlov glared at the Junior Engineer, seemingly disgusted with the mere suggestion of dishonesty. "I am a starship 'CAPTAIN' Commander, and as suc ....." Orlov spat, fighting to regain composure before continuing, but Lumis interrupted him almost the instant he began to speak: "You 'WAS' a Starship Captain ..... Not any longer," "I AM, and will be a 'CAPTAIN' until relieved by the appropriate authorities..." he continued, seemingly ignoring the Engineer's rebuttal, "... As I was saying - I am a Captain, and as such, I would have thought my word good enough to rely upon," "That's not good enough," Sarah said, with two more steps forward. If Orlov was counting he wasn't showing any concern, yet. "You clearly want to go back to the surface, blowing us up with you on board seems somewhat self-defeating, in my humble opinion..." Sarah said, with another pace forwards, "... So how about we come to some, mutually amicable solution. We will allow you to be present on the shuttle when it returns to the surface, you can select a drop-off location of your choosing, but in return, you hand over your weapon, now, and surrender yourself to the Security Officers outside," "At which point you will undoubtedly return me to more severe confinement for the duration?" "As you pointed out, Captain, we're Starfleet Officers, anas such our word should hold us in good stead," she replied, eyebrows raising as she took one more step. This time Orlov did comment. "I have to admire your perseverance, Commander, but please, take a few paces back, I'd hate to misinterpret your movements as trying to reach my weapon before I can fire," sighing, Sarah returned to Kevin Lumin's side ..........
|
|
Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Apr 14, 2023 17:42:09 GMT
OOC: Assuming this takes place after the incident in engineering, leaving it open as to what happens. I have a shuttle with unknown people aboard reaching the surface later
IC: The time when Parks had wanted to head for the first of three cave systems belonging to Orlov - or rather to his Mayan associates - had come and gone and once more night was falling. There was no sign of a new shuttle from the Excalibur and it seemed there wasn't going to be one for a while yet; the York XO was no longer willing to wait and with his Mayans was equipping himself just after sunset.
"There may be a problem up there," Karka said to the other four Belize crewmembers and gestured to the starry heavens, "Something unrelated to the atmospheric interference, which Wentworth already learnt how to cut through before. Surely that's the only thing that can explain it?"
"What problem though?" Hearan asked, on edge, "Something to do with Orlov? If we were right in our reading of Sarah's comm from yesterday, and Orlov's escaped the brig."
With the last embers dying of the sun's hazy tangerine glow, lighting up the grey atmosphere, Parks and co were about ready to set out. "Just after sunset or just before sunrise... The best two times for the assault," he told them, and encouraged them to leave the raised area of land that held the caves, following him and his disaffected Mayans.
They swept in their descent from the mesa complex from the south around to the east, following a spiral pathway outwards from the heights that had their many secreted cave systems. Eventually as night truly set in the company was heading north-east towards the area of two of Orlov's three caves. Arriving in what would otherwise have been pitch black were it not for just about discernible camp fires, and other worryingly advanced signs of illumination, up on the heights of hills south and south-west of the Narinjean river course, they plotted their attack on the nearest cave system.
"These photonic explosives were left by Orlov when he fled from the caves I seized from him - yes, the caves we just left," Parks said quietly to them as in the darkness they huddled behind a series of grey boulders. From a battered Starfleet-issue satchel with the faint letters 'USS York' worked into the threadbare material, the commander took seven graphite shaded grenade-like weapons.
"This is the first we're hearing of it?" Karka rasped in the night.
"I didn't know that you would be here with my assault team. I thought your ship would've sent a shuttle by now." The implication was clear; Parks had had no intention of going with them if an Excal craft had arrived before nightfall, not at least until he'd destroyed Captain Orlov's caves. "Besides, don't fret, Commander Psonoir. What better way to get rid of these weapons and stop them falling into Mayan hands by destroying them, and taking Orlov's new-fangled jury-rigged equipment with them? Here, take three of the devices, Commander."
Karka and the others supposed the idea was better than most they themselves had come up with. But would it do the job effectively enough?
Splitting into two groups - Parks, Schirra and T'Seng in one; Psonoir, Unwin and Hearan in the other (both groups accompanied by a substantial number of Mayans) - they made their way up into the uplands and the two cave systems by separate, sinuous routes.
As the two groups were about to converge on the first and nearest cave system, the alarm was raised. Orlovian Mayans appeared at watchposts and from cave entrances, lofting throwing spears and bows with fletched arrowheads aflame with burning pitch. Raising a wild war cry, the hostile Mayans hurled their missiles. Parks' Mayans responded, the Starfleeters having no choice but to join the on-off skirmish amongst the rocks in the night.
With arrows, stones and other missiles flying, a shuttlecraft scooted low overhead under invisible scudding clouds, heading for one of the Excalibur's three targeted landing zones. Onboard were four Starfleet personnel, one of the rank of captain... OOC: in what capacity Orlov is there is left open
"Karka!" Unwin directed the Hybrudean's vision to a barely-visible cave entrance and nodded. Psonoir saw it. The entrance was guarded by only two Orlovian Mayans, both gripping their spears in evident tension and looking about at the melee before them and down the slopes amongst the passes, ravines and fissures.
"If we can break through there, we could conceivably use the three explosives Parks supplied, plant them well within the entrance. The resultant explosion may collapse some of the cave, hopefully destroying some advanced tech, and terrifying Orlovs' Mayans enough to have them withdraw," Psonoir thought out loud. He wondered how the Captain's team was faring.
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Apr 15, 2023 18:06:59 GMT
OOC : Engineer name changed in last Schirra post (Unwin to Lumis)...IC :"At which point you will undoubtedly return me to more severe confinement for the duration?"
"As you pointed out, Captain, we're Starfleet Officers, anas such our word should hold us in good stead," she replied, eyebrows raising as she took one more step. This time Orlov did comment.
"I have to admire your perseverance, Commander, but please, take a few paces back, I'd hate to misinterpret your movements as trying to reach my weapon before I can fire," sighing, Sarah returned to Kevin Lumin's side ..... "just out of curiosity here you understand..." Sarah began, seeing Orlov nod almost imperceptibly, "... If, and it's by no means an option at this point, but if we were to allow you to return to the surface, what exactly would you be doing down there, it's not like you can just take up your old ways, is it?" "That is alas, true ..... I have the feeling that your Captain would have put paid to all my experimentation and weapons development..." Orlov said, shaking his head, "... Such a pity really, I was making excellent progress, despite the obvious pitfalls. No, I believe that if I were to return to the surface, I would be forced to find a quiet corner of the planet to settle myself. The alternative is something I cannot settle with," "..... And if we set you down on the other side of the planet, what's to stop the Federation from sending a second vessel to retrieve you and force you to face trial?" Wentworth asked. "To be honest..." the York Captain said, seemingly more disappointed than relieved, "... I don't think they would bother. I would be what, fourteen thousand kilometres from the location I set up in, even at a brisk walk it would take some considerable time to return, not to mention the issue of having a vast ocean to cross, so no, I don't think they will come after me. But I fear we're straying off topic here," "So you'll hand yourself over while we consider options?" Sarah said, seeing the elderly Orlov laugh. "No, I'm afraid that can't happen ..... But, what I 'will' strongly suggest, is that I, along with one or more of this vessel's Security Personnel, board a shuttle, immediately, I'm sure you have one prepared in readiness to retrieve your Away Team. They will transport me to the surface to a location of your choosing. I will disembark and allow the shuttle to return unhindered..." Sarah was watching the man, and frowned, something was amiss, he seemed to have resolved some inner conflict, and her fears were confirmed seconds later, "... And to show you that I really 'do' mean what I say ....." without warning he moved the phaser in an arc before allowing it to rest on the Junior Engineer! Realising too late what was about to happen, Sarah dove into Lieutenant Lumis, but not before the beam lanced across Engineering and hit the Engineer in the chest before passing through and into the bulkhead beyond. "Now, shall we?" Orlov asked. nodding towards the doors ..... Shuttlecraft San Pedro :: Sarah had initially decided that she alone would accompany Orlov to the surface, but others convinced her that as Acting Commanding Officer of the Excalibur, her place was on the Bridge. In the Shuttlbay, Orlov watched as one of the ship's Pilots boarded and readied the shuttle for launch. Sarah had insisted that two Security Officers also board. They would ensure Orlov couldn't forcibly take the shuttle once away from Excalibur, they were unarmed, as was the Pilot. Thanking Wentworth for her common sense in not risking the destruction of the Constitution Class Starship, he motioned for the Security Officers to board and then followed, eyes locked on the Operations Officers' as the door sealed. She ordered the shuttle bay evacuated then watched as the craft lifted and passed beyond reach ..... As the shuttle entered the upper atmosphere, Orlov waited in silence. He had instructed both the Pilot and the Security detail to keep their eye forwards, making it clear that should anyone turn to face him the resulting action would be very unfortunate, at least for the one who turned. He watched as they passed over the terminus from the nightside of the Planet into daytime. "Any particular continent you'd like me to aim for?" the Pilot said, the question oozing sarcasm, but Orlov just grinned before replying: "As it happens, Lieutenant, I have the ideal place in mind," he said ..........
|
|
Karka Psonoir
Commander
Registered: Apr 9, 2013 19:55:13 GMT
Posts: 422
|
Post by Karka Psonoir on Apr 20, 2023 16:50:29 GMT
OOC: I think I might make this my last Excal post on this outing. Unfortunately I don't have time at the moment to contribute to three threads. Looking forward to an Excal mission at some future date though! I've set up a possible endgame but you can continue the mission yourself if you like.
IC: The guards at the entrance hadn't moved very much but then Karka didn't need them to. He was confident that with just Unwin he could overcome the two of them and force his way into the cave system at that point. "Do you have them?" he asked, turning to the engineer.
Unwin indicated the animal skin he'd taken from Commander Parks' cave; it held three of the photonic explosive devices the York XO had kept in his battered Starfleet-issue satchel. Excellent... Karka thought, and at that moment Lieutenant Hearan and a gaggle of Mayans from Parks' side came up to join them, torches they held aloft becoming discernible in the night, the light from their flames touching their faces and then Karka and Unwin's also. Now we'll surely have no problem in breaking into the caves...
With a nod to one another and to the Mayans, they began ascending through the greyish dusk, up through the fissures in the raised terrain towards the forward-projected central entrance (one of three separate entry points to the first cave system).
Twice they encountered isolated Orlovian Mayans, Parks' own Mayans dispatching them cruelly much to the three Starfleeters' chagrin, but at this time there was nothing they could do to stop it. Across from their position towards the southeast, they could just espy Captain Schirra's section of the team fighting off Orlovian Mayans' attacks.
"The shuttlecraft can't have landed very far from here," Hearan observed when he, Karka and Unwin were only about 20 metres distant from the small central cave entrance, "They'll be bringing help, if they were able to detect our lifesigns, have recognised our situation down here." Of course he didn't know that Orlov was aboard and in control...
"Let's estimate that they'll take about 30 minutes to get here," Psonoir nodded, "If we can plant the explosives, we can collapse part of this cave system... The Orlovians will flee, and - with it hopefully unguarded - we can repeat the trick with the second series of caves. As for the third... it might be out of reach, but by then we'll be back aboard the Excalibur, I'd hope."
"So we could target it with a low-yield phaser blast from orbit," Unwin mused.
"Perhaps, yes. But for now let's focus on the task at hand," Karka directed.
Acknowledging, Unwin followed the XO and Hearan up the winding path through the great outcropping of rock that constituted the sequence of caves, edging ever closer to the central entrance. Just as they entered probable charging distance, at least a dozen Orlovian Mayans poured from the cave mouth and from adjoining entrances! Evidently Orlov's Mayan lieutenant on the scene had recognised the attackers' move...
The fight was tough, several Mayans falling on either side and Karka being lightly injured, but in the blind rush of it they managed to force their way through the defenders into the caves.
Psonoir looked about with wild eyes and located Unwin, who'd come through unscathed and most importantly still carrying the skin holding the three photonic devices. Throwing one each to Psonoir and Hearan, the trio planted their charges, going back into the cave as far as they dared without encountering defending Mayans. Guarded by two of the six surviving Parks Mayans, engineer Unwin was able to plant the last and complete the job.
He jabbed at Karka on the way back out, "15 seconds."
Psonoir and Hearan darted after him out of the cave, finding cover behind a series of gigantic boulders with his fellow attackers, "Is that all?"
"Longest delay I could manage without giving them a full reprogramming," Mark replied, and having hardly finished speaking, the three devices detonated within the first cave system. Smoke, flame and pulverised rock billowed out into the darkness; bedlam ensued and a wild collective cry rent the feverish night air, Orlov's as well as Parks' Mayans having been caught in a forceful immediate encounter with terrible alien magic... All the Mayans fled this way and that.
Once the dust cleared sufficiently, Karka, Unwin, Hearan, and the other part of their team - Schirra, T'Seng and Parks - located some 50 metres away in the southeast area of the combat, could see that two of the three entrances to the first system had been wholly blocked by the debris. The caves beyond had clearly mostly collapsed, crushing or entombing the improvised technology within...
More tech still existed in the other cave systems, but here now came the team from the landed shuttle, including, dreadfully, Captain Orlov brandishing a phaser...
|
|
Daniel Schirra
Captain
Registered: Apr 8, 2013 21:02:47 GMT
Posts: 468
|
Post by Daniel Schirra on Apr 20, 2023 18:23:37 GMT
"..... Fifteen seconds!" Unwin said, tapping Karka on the shoulder as he ran past and into the open .....
Psonoir and Hearan darted after him out of the cave, finding cover behind a series of gigantic boulders with his fellow attackers,
"Is that all?" the Excalibur's Exec' asked as they ran.
"Longest delay I could manage without giving them a full reprogramming," No one had time to comment either way as the mouth of the cave shuddered before expelling massive amounts of dust and rock which passed above the group fleeing ..... Everyone was bent double, coughing and choking to clear their lungs of the cloying dust, Daniel was about to ask if anyone had spotted which direction the shuttle from Excalibur had been heading when Security Officers strode into view, the second of relief though was quickly surpassed when Schirra noticed a fourth person - Captain Orlov - He was carrying a phaser trained on the Security Personnel ..... "Captain Schirra, it seems you found one of my caves..." Orlov said, motioning for the three Security to move closer to the remaining Away Team, "... Well, it appears you are in somewhat of a fix, does it not?" "I'm not with you Orlov," Daniel said, the niceties of rank gone from his tone. "Well, let me try to explain, I managed to get back to the surface, despite precautions, oh you have no need to reprimand anyone on the Excalibur, I just had a stroke of shall we say, good luck..." Orlov said, moving around the assembled Federation Officers to give a clear line-of-sight to the waiting shuttle meters away, "... So, I have a proposal for you, Captain ..... You can take your personnel and lift off, or I can destroy the shuttle and make sure you or anyone else doesn't leave the surface. Oh, and before you make up your mind I have to say I've been somewhat 'busy' making preparations, so what's it to be?" "You know full well that we can't allow you to remain here Orlov, you've already contaminated this Planet's indigenous population with your meddling!" "It isn't open for discussion Captain..." Orlov said, firmer this time and clearly losing patience as he took a small device from one pocket and held it up for them to see, "... I have rigged explosives on both the shuttle 'AND' the Excalibur's warp core, both are now connected to this device. I'm willing to allow you to go free Captain, but I'd like your word, as a Starfleet Officer, that once aboard the Excalibur you will immediately move out of orbit and jump to warp at your earliest convenience ..... Well?" he asked. "What's to prevent you from blowing us up the moment we return to the ship, if nothing else it will guarantee your being able to remain here unhindered?" "As I've stated before, I too am a Federation Officer, regardless of my current status, my word is as good today as it was when I recited the oath at the Academy," "..... And the phaser?" Schirra asked, nodding briefly. Surprisingly, Orlov was more than willing to return the weapon prior to their leaving, now his labs were destroyed he had no use for it anyway, keeping it would merely make him a target, and besides, its power supply wasn't infinite, so it would be no more than a curiosity, an ornament, in due course," "Just to be sure we 'completely' understand our agreement, Captain..." Orlov said, again lifting the device into view, "... Once the shuttle has lifted, I will allow thirty minutes before transmitting a subspace instruction to the devices hidden aboard the Excalibur, this cannot be overridden, and will detonate both explosives if the Excalibur reenters this Star System, if you find them and try to disarm or tamper in any way, I'll know. I imagine given the power supply, it should be good for eight or nine months, and I seriously doubt you of Starfleet Command are going to be willing to hang around for the best part of a year just to bring me to trial," Daniel knew he was right ..... Of course, they had no way of knowing where, if at all, Orlov had set charges, they could begin searching once out of the System, but what then? "You have my word we'll depart the system ....." Schirra said finally, seeing the others turn to look at him in astonishment but remaining silent. "I know it doesn't seem it, Captain, but you really are making the right decision, the only decision, given the circumstances..." Orlov said, holding the phaser in two fingers, "... Your word?" he asked, and after a second's hesitation, Daniel nodded. Orlov threw the phaser to Unwin, who spun it in his hand and aimed it at York's Commanding Officer. "Put it away Commander," Daniel said quietly. "The shuttle is approximately one hundred meters around that rise..." Orlov said, lowering himself to sit on a nearby rock outcrop seemingly exhausted, "... If you set a heading of two four zero mark ten, it will take you to a populated Star System, from there you should be able to head home without difficulty," Daniel nodded, then strode away, not wanting to look back at the man in case he found him laughing. Everyone followed in silence until they climbed aboard the Shuttlecraft San Pedro. It was somewhat of a tight fit, but there wasn't going to be a second chance to come back for anyone, not if Orlov's threat was to be believed ..... Ten minutes later they entered the Shuttlebay and disembarked, all but Daniel, Karka, and Koni T'Seng, headed directly for the Bridge, Mark Unwin headed for Engineering after being told under no circumstances must he touch anything found down there until given the go-ahead. Schirra dropped into the centre seat and watched through the massive window as the planet gracefully rotated beneath them. "Helm, take us out of orbit ..... Set a heading of two four zero mark ten, once clear of the System go to warp two," No one spoke as the planet moved out of view, the Excalibur increased velocity to full impulse until they cleared the System, and then Reneus took the ship to warp two .......... ooo000ooo
Mission 16 : The Maya Enigma
Has now Concluded
Many thanks to Commander Karka Psonoir for his valued contributions once again
USS Excalibur's Mission 17 will commence in due course
Regards
Captain Daniel Schirra
|
|